[단독]6 ruling and opposition parties, Biden visited the US in time for inauguration… Song Young-gil “explained the shear law”

Members of the National Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and Transportation will visit the United States for the inauguration ceremony of President Joe Biden, which will be held on the 20th (local time). This visit to the US was made up of an equal number of three members of the Democratic Party and the People’s Power. The intention is to convey the bipartisan will to strengthen the ROK-US alliance to the newly launched US administration and Congress.

Democratic Party member Song Young-gil, chairman of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a phone call with JoongAng Ilbo on the 3rd, “I will visit Washington DC from the 19th to the 24th to meet all members of the United States.” It will also urge the US to make improvements.” A total of six members of the group, including Song, Democratic Party lawmakers Kim Young-ju and Kim Young-ho, and the people’s powers, Jeong Jin-seok, Park Jin, and Kim Seok-ki, were organized.

The American team is promoting meetings with Senate Foreign Relations Chairman James Rishi (Republican Party) and next House Foreign Relations Chairman Gregory Mix (Democratic Party). Democratic Party Rep. Kim Young-ho said, “It is meant to congratulate the launch of the Biden administration while confirming the keynote strategy or keynote of the new administration’s policy toward North Korea,” and said, “We will focus on an agenda such as peace and tension relief on the Korean Peninsula.” . Rep. Jeong Jin-seok of People’s Strength explained, “It is desperate to normalize the traditional alliance between Korea and the United States,” and explained, “In particular, the goal of congressional diplomacy is to pull back the loosened relationship between Korea and the United States.”

Democratic Party lawmakers are also planning to clarify the law against North Korean warfare (amendment to the South-North Relations Development Act) that they independently handled earlier last month. Rep. Song said, “I will sincerely explain the concerns of some of the US government,” he said. “If the Biden government respects the allies’ parliament, it can be understood.” The U.S. House of Representatives criticizes the law against North Korean warfare and has announced that a hearing will be held during this month.

Expectations and concerns over the visit to the US and opposition lawmakers crossed. Professor Jeong-Geon Seo of the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Kyunghee University said, “Congressional diplomacy has the advantage of being able to understand each other in a more gentle and detailed manner than intergovernmental diplomacy. It will be an opportunity to honestly address issues of interest to the US government, such as the Anti-North Korea Warfare Act.” said.

However, a former diplomat said, “Now, it is time to put all our strength into the meticulous diplomacy war to strengthen the alliance in preparation for the launch of the new administration, and there is a possibility that the visit of the legislator will disperse diplomatic power and message as well.” In particular, because the power of the Democratic Party and the people are in opposing positions over the anti-North Korea warfare law, confusion may arise in the message to the United States.

Reporters Kim Hyo-seong and Park Hyun-ju [email protected]